City Lights Can Blind You

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member=Alkor Centaris]​

​

Be brave, there are great things in your future.​

​

One beaten up ship cut through the thick atmosphere surrounding Geonosis. Alvida's hands shook against the controls as the ship swooped across the deserts. This was the first planet she had come across that hadn't been covered in the thick forests she was used too. It was hard to imagine anyone living on the strange orange dust at all, never mind actually wanting to live there. The voices in her head peaked, chastising her for casting her opinions out so readily. They were not here to judge based on the planet. Somewhere outside the realms of her mind Alvida heard a soft beep, alerting her that they were close to arrival. Alvida flicked the switch, turning the autopilot on as she lent back in the seat. Ordinarily she would have landed the heap of junk herself, but she'd rather made a good impression and her landings weren't exactly the best.

Just as she was considering standing up to wait by the landing ramp the city skyline rose from the horizon. Alvida's jaw dropped. It was almost too unreal for her to believe, but the voices reminded her that if you stopped believing in your own eyes you truly are insane. To make doubly sure she blinked once or twice, sea-foam eyes disappearing behind milk white lids. Yes, it was there, it was real. The biggest settlement Alvida could have ever imagined. Every building seemed to be crafted from metal she had never even thought existed. Thousands of artificial lights cast the horizon in an entrancing orange halo. She drank it all in, desperate to remember every second that passed by. Nobody at home would believer her but she would tell them anyway.

Buildings zipped by as the ship nimbly dodged its way through to where she was supposed to meet whoever had the task of showing her around this vast settlement. Before too long the sound of hydraulics releasing and the soft bump of the ship landing brought Alvida to her feet. As the ramp descended she felt almost blinded by the bright false light that flooded through and illuminated the inside of her ship. As she made her way down the ramp her thick accent coated in a honey sweet tone called out. 'Hello?' Step by step the voices urged her on, the wolf for once felt a little fear and Alvida herself couldn't help but feel a sense of adventure. It was time to explore a new world, to meet new people and to make new friends. It was time.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

To protect, to serve, to innovate​

Newcomers to Golbah were often overwhelmed by their first visit. The Confederate capital boasted some of the most advanced technology in the Galaxy, and even without that fact, it was still a sprawling metropolis. While not the same bustling, overcrowded experience as an Ecumenopolis like Coruscant, it was sufficiently overwhelming in its own right. He recalled in equal parts Corellia and Harnaidan when he looked over the Sprawl from his position, standing at one of the myriad landing pads of the Crown. The VIP was scheduled to meet with him at that location at a specified time, so when the ship started to touch down, he took a step back and watched impassively to ensure a safe and uneventful landing.

Dresssed in the armor of the Obsidian Knights with the hood drawn and weapons stowed, save for a single lightsaber on his hip for reasons more ornamental than occupational. As the woman descended the ramp, he took a step forward and crossed one arm over his chest, offering a quarter of a bow in salute. "Ma'am," he said, "I am to be your escort, and on behalf of the Vicelord, I welcome you to Golbah City."

His eyes never left her person as he moved fluidly from the salute to a more neutral position. Someone with a trained eye might intuitively see the instincts of a soldier in him, the indifference to friend or foe, and the attention to detail. "My name is Alkor Centaris," he added for her records. "I can also surrender my Identification number at your request, should you wish to give feedback on my performance as your guard. Your safety is my top priority."

He was more than anything a shadow, intended to remain slightly behind her at the best of times and between her and danger at the very worst. Pleasantries were acceptable, but he had a job to do, and she had a tour to enjoy. If she was to become Viceroyalty, or really, join the Confederacy at all, it was his duty to keep her from harm.

"This is the Crown of Golbah," he told her as he turned and gestured toward the spires that stretched skyward behind him. Brilliant displays of multicolored lights illuminated the skyline, and various droids and speeders moved people and things from place to place. It was truly a city that never slept, and it was always growing, changing, and adapting. The Confederacy of Independent Systems offered that same innovation to all of its people.

It really did sell itself.

"The Viceroyalty conveine here to make important decisions regarding the state of the Confederacy, and to make and change laws. Major businesses and allies of the State also do their work at this level, since the Ministry of Commerce is heavily involved with those things, and the current Minister enjoys staying apprised of the flow of credits."

His gaze turned back to [member="Alvida Osulf"] after a moment. "The city is a lot to take in all at once, so please, feel free to take your time."

 

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member=Alkor Centaris]​

​

Bright lights and crowded places... You do not belong here, little wolf.​

​

One half of Alvida's lip raised up slightly, giving her a rather quizzical look. Why on earth was he bending down for her? Was it some kind of hello? She could not figure out if it was respectful, honourable or simply well mannered of him but she was certain it wasn't rude. Either way it made her feel just a touch uneasy. Before the man could readjust himself her facial expression fixed itself and she greeted him with a bright smile. 'Ma'am? My name is Alvida. Alvida Osulf.' She had no idea who this 'ma'am' person was, perhaps a case of miscommunication? Their comm system was relatively basic and while it could manage planet side communication just fine it did struggle a little with longer distances. Fool, you've failed already. Alvida could already feel the voices growing rowdy, stressful situations often worked them into a frenzy, but not today. Not now.

His voice trailed on and provided a modicum of distraction for the young wolf. Knowing his name settled her even further, but what followed prompted another glance of confusion from the golden haired girl. 'I a-..' Her brow furrowed slightly, the swirling emotion causing her to pause and rethink her sentence. How could she word this without causing offence? Her basic was decent, she had been taught enough to allow her to trade with passers by, but she often found herself tripping up on the nuances of the language. 'A number to prove that you are you? Are you all numbered like live stock?' Quickly, almost without giving him enough time to answer, she shook her head in a disinterested manner. The voices had already mocked her and told her that comparing people to farm animals was not a polite way to introduce yourself. She would be regretting that one for a long while to come.

In an attempt to salvage the situation Alvida held up her finger politely to Alkor with rather bashful smile on her lips. Milk white fingers fumbled with the silver clasp of a leather satchel attached to a belt around her waist. When she finally released it the willowy appendages brought out a long loop of leather with a shimmering silver circle hanging off it. Alvida held it out to Alkor, a sense of pride about her stature as she did. 'It is a gift, from my people to yours.' She slid the leather across her palm till the circle of silver sat in the centre of it. The necklace caught the light as she titled it to reveal runes etched into the soft metal. 'They are runes of good fortune. A blessing, for both this union and your people. You may keep it for your own, or you may give it to your leader, but seeing as you are the one here to greet me it would please me greatly if you took it.'

After offering out her gift of friendship, Alvida took a step back from her guide as he swung his arm out to reveal the city before them. Her head tilted back to an almost impossible angle. Following this simple action was something mumbled in her own language, though from her tone of voice it was easy to infer that they were a series of extremely shocked curses. 'I have never seen such a height on so many structures.' Her tone was filled with such wonderment she almost sounded like a child discovering something sweet for the first time. 'What do you do with them? Your people must be giants for you to have to make them so tall. Is your short height some kind of magic to make me feel comfortable? I feel I would have managed seeing you just as you are.' It didn't occur to her that there might be numerous floors in the buildings, the most stories she'd ever seen were four which simply paled in comparison to the towering skyscrapers around her.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

The etiquette and protocol of a Droid, the innocence and ignorance of a child.​

Not one to cause unintended offense against a potential Confederate ally, Alkor accepted her gift under the terms she suggested. He reached out and took the necklace between two fingers and pulled it closer, examining it. Unique in shape and seemingly lacking in advancement, the trinket did not appear dangerous, nor did he sense anything particularly devious from it. The woman had suggested he take it himself, so there was no pressure to forward it to Isley. In that much, he felt content simply to respond with gratitude and not suspicion.

"Your kindness is an honor, Miss Osulf," he said, correcting himself by not using the pronoun she previously questioned. It was possible that Basic was not her primary language, after all. "I will be sure to take care of it."

Her response was understandable, especially if her world was as archaic as he was to believe. The lustre and magnificence of the Confederate Capital was meant to inspire awe and spark interest within the hearts and minds of potential allies, just as much as to generate fear in the thoughts of its enemies. "Golbah is a symbol of the Southern Systems' wealth and prosperity," he elaborated, "as well as a testament to our technological advancement. It is the Vicelord's sincere wish that our allies all strive to join our levels of learning, growth, and expansion. Such buildings could even be erected on your own world, should your people so desire."

He turned to face her with a confused expression. It appeared they were both equally confused, albeit about different things. "I- this is my natural height," he replied while blinking. "We have Droids and machinery capable of such construction."

He indicated the spire where the Viceroyals were busy at work governing the Confederacy. "These buildings are where our leaders work and live," he explained. "Each level has various departments and living spaces to accommodate the planetary Viceroys, the Ministers, the Exarchs, and the Vicelord.

Would you like to see for yourself?'

 

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member=Alkor Centaris]

Take the first steps your ancestors failed too. Make your people known.


Alvida was most pleased he accepted her gift without much trouble, you could see it in the reflection of her eyes as she grinned at him. With a firm nod of her head, almost as if confirming to herself that he geuinly was pleased with it, Alvida drew her gaze away from the guide. 'It is an honour to be invited here, a small trinket is the least I could do. And now we are friends you should call me Alvida.' It seemed she couldn't quite get behind the robotic nature of the titles he picked for her. She was here to build relationships after all, not to be treated like a visiting dignitary. Little did she know that's exactly what she was. Finally sated that their meeting had progressed from mildly awkward to somewhat passable, Alvida broke free from their conversation to further take in the sight of the city.

She kept one ear cocked and listening intently to Alkor as he spoke. He seemed to have a lot of knowledge on the surrounding area and the purpose of this Confederacy she had heard so much about. Being the first people she had reached out to in the Galaxy she was hesitant to visit so soon, but they had seemed accommodating enough and very welcoming. Her head snapped back in Alkor's direction, a bemused look on her face. 'I doubt they would want such things. We prefer to blend in with our surroundings.' Though she would never say it out-loud the thought of a skyscraper on Skógur Heim was almost laughable. The vast metal would look strange against the clear blue sky and would stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of the thick boreal forest. She also shuddered at the idea of more than one, it was not a vision she wished to see.

Gaze trailing his hand as it motioned up toward the spirals, Alvida couldn't help but feel the growing embers of excitement growing steadily in her stomach. Alkor's words were tempting, inviting even and when he asked her his question her voice responded in kind. 'Yes!' Alvida was already off, a little head strong in her attempts to start exploration. Almost as if she were light enough to be turned by a gentle breeze, Alvida's body swung round to face Alkor. Her lips had curled into a warm smile. 'Try not to fall behind.'

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Willing to help any way he can, but she'd be having better luck with the elder Vi'dreya
​

"Al-avlida," he mumbled, committing her name to memory. It was unthinkable that a potential Viceroy and a lowly security detail be on a first name basis, but this woman seemed to defy all notions of thinkable. "I will try to keep that in mind," he stated as he stowed away the token of friendship she had bestowed upon him. For Alkor, it was all he could do not to offend this woman.

He frankly was uncertain if he was managing even that task.

Then, she spoke up about her people, and how they wanted to remain more quaint and retain some of their anonymity. He could relate to that. His duties as a Knight Obsidian forced him to take on the burden of knowledge and defense of the Confederacy, but his nature had always been one of a minimalist. He lived with what he needed to survive and little else.

He could attest that the more grandiose workings of Darth Metus had merit, however. A shame the more outgoing and innovative of the two could not have been there to speak on the marvels of Golbah with her today. She was stuck with the lesser Vi'dreya. Yet, she seemed content with that.

"So long as you aren't out of my line of sight, you're free to roam as close to me or far away as you like. Security is tightened at the moment due to certain strains on public security, but I can assure you're at no danger here in the Crown." He remembered what she said about being friends, and it occurred to Alkor he had only ever heard that phrase in passing. He'd been family, and he'd seen people who were friends- but had he ever had one? Had he ever been one?

Nikias.

He remembered Nikias fondly, the man who lost his life far too young. He had called that boy a friend, though it came post mortem. This woman had a youthful spirit to her, as well. And she didn't seem to enjoy his formality and detachment.

So, he picked up his pace just a bit to keep up.

 

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member="Alkor Centaris"]​

​

He shows little faith in you, wolf.​

Alvida nodded firmly. 'That is right, Alvida. I will call you Alkor, unless you prefer something different?' She probably should have asked before deciding she would call him Alkor, but it was a little too late now. Her eyes watched carefully as he slipped the necklace into his pocket. For a minute she found herself wondering if he would ever actually wear the gift, or whether it would go into a draw in his home and stay there. Either way he had accepted it gracefully and Alvida seemed entirely sated by this, continuing on her way.

A whicked grin seemed to cross her expression. The voices in her head piped up to an almost deafening volume. He does not trust you. He thinks you're weak. The little wolf cannot handle the big city. Alvida flapped her hand by her ear, as if swatting away a fly. 'What happens if I do go out of sight?' Step by step she walked through the towering buildings. When she looked up to try and see the top of them they almost looked as if they were falling, the sensation made her incredibly dizzy. Some part of her wanted to look away but the more she gazed the quicker they seemed to fall.

The only thing that made her stop was the fact that she could feel herself slowly falling backward, the dizzying sensation overtaking her head entirely.

Pausing in her step to allow Alkor to catch up properly, Alvida slowly turned on the spot with her eyes looking up at the sky. She wondered if being dizzy and the dizzying sensation that the height of the buildings gave her was the same thing. 'So, there is trouble in this world?' How had he put it? 'Strains on public security?' The fancy words sounded strange in her foreign accent, but she liked the way they rolled off her tongue.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

It's nothing personal, he just has no people skills.​

He resisted the innate urge to tell her that his title was sufficient. The emotionless, attachment deprived position of bodyguard was a safe place for Alkor. To go beyond it meant to attempt understanding the inner workings of society and connections between people. Still, to do that and to prevent offense were different things now, and he had to keep this situation from deteriorating. "That- that will do, I suppose," he stammered slightly.

She asked a question that caught him off guard next. What would happen if she did go out of view? "I suppose I would have to go looking for you," he replied honestly, "which would add another layer to my duties, though not one I am unprepared for. I would appreciate if you didn't, however."

The towers were like a maze almost, easy to get lost in and breathtaking if you were caught off guard. Alkor found himself transfixed at times, mostly when he was lost in his thoughts. For someone who came from a world without such things, he could only imagine how surprising it all was.

He stopped short of bumping into her when she paused. "There is trouble everywhere," he answered honestly. "The galaxy we live in is rife with war, people who hate each other, people hungry to have more than they already do- rich or poor, it doesn't matter." He looked her evenly in the eyes and offered a sad smile. "Golbah is a beautiful place, and we strive to be the best we can, but nothing and no one is perfect. Even here, we struggle."

He patted his chest, where the symbol of the Confederacy was emblazoned upon his armor. "I am one of the Knights Obsidian," he explained, "the Vicelord's Personal Security Force, tasked with protecting the people of the Southern Systems. You might say I have a vested interest in these matters."

 

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member="Alkor Centaris"]​

Questions, questions, questions.​

Alvida couldn't help but notice his awkward tone. It stood out in her ears in the same way a single, bright star in a midnight sky would. Pressing her lips together to prevent anything from slipping out without approval, Alvida and the voices debated quickly on the merits of asking him what his problem was. In the end all agreed to simply ignore her curiosity this once. 'I will not.' Alvida chose not to turn around to answer the polite demand he placed at her feet. She quickly decided that her first act in the CIS would not be to get her personal guard into trouble for no reason. 'I do not think your world is as scary as many back home believed it would be. Some had heard that many of your men were made of metal, with no beating heart or warm blood. We have also heard that you all.' The comments were made absently in an attempt to change the topic from her questioning nature.

With one ear cocked to listen to Alkor properly her eyes scanned the windows that decorated almost every side of the buildings they walked by. A strange orange glow, similar to the light a fire would emit, seemed to be coming from deep within. She casually wondered how they managed to remove all the smoke from buildings so tall, or perhaps they were the flame-less lights that illuminated her ship? The thought was all together strange. After a moment or two of letting her mind freely wonder Alvida turned her head back to her guide. 'Do you bring the trouble here or does the trouble seek you out?' Her tone was mildly serious. She was impressed with what she had seen so far but if she brought trouble back home by aligning them with this Confederacy she would never hear the end of it.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Droids," he replied. "The lifeless walkers are called Droids, and we have an abundance of them here. Some, even, designed to look no different from human beings." He gestured toward the inside of the building as he pushed his way through the double doors and held one open for her to pass through. "You'll see them for yourself in short order."

And there were.

Staffed by servitors and protocol droids, the Capitol building of Golbah greeted them with an austere scent and a litany of complex languages, colors, and people that displayed in full view the diversity of the Confederacy. It was a fine time for the question she asked, which caused him to blink.

Had he once been so quizzical and struggled so to understand? Perhaps that was why people got tired of answering his questions. Ah, well. "I try not to cause trouble, for my part," he answered honestly. "My Brother's good name demands of me the utmost discipline. Generally, whatever troubles come to this city have sought it out themselves."

He folded his hands in front of him and glanced over her warily. "What is it that you seek to do by joining the Southern Systems?" he asked. It was not the sort of thing someone of his status often worried over; but she seemed almost carefree, wide-eyed, like a child- was she a proper diplomat?

[member="Alvida Osulf"]

 

[Alvida Osulf]

Golbah City | [member=Alkor Centaris]​

​

Trouble follows you everywhere little wolf, what did you expect?​

'Droids...' There was a laugh in the young wolf's throat. In her foreign accent the word sounded funny, though words often do when you're saying them for the first time. To his next words, she lofted a golden brow in general his direction. Mystery was one of her favourite games, and her chosen companion for the day certainly held a lot of it. Alvida focused her attention on the door that swung open to his touch. As the crack of light spilling forth from within widened to reveal what hid behind them, Alvida felt her jaw dropping. The extent of her experience with anything foreign were the traders who swanned in and out of Skógur Heim as the pleased. Alvida had thought she had a good grasp on the things she would come face to face during her visit, but she couldn't have imagined anything on this scale. Metal men, aliens speaking in tongues too complicated to follow, moving pictures displaying shimmering imagines in a thousand different colours.

The young wolf was so lost in the strange beauty of it all that she almost missed what her guardian had said. 'Ah... So the trouble comes to the Confederacy.' Alvida mused, the voices chiming in as her mind whirred. It was to be expected, she supposed, an alliance as big as this one was bound to have some trouble somewhere. After drinking in as much of the sights as she could possibly manage, Alvida set her eyes on Alkor. His next question caught her slightly off guard. More so because she hadn't been given permission to answer on her people's behalf, at least not just yet. Her face gave nothing away. 'That is a good question...' Alvida pondered for a moment, choosing to leave her bright green gaze trained firmly on her companion. Maybe it was something she should have thought about before actually visiting, but the longer the silence stretched out the more she realised that it was a no brainer question.

The answer was the entire reason she had spent four days convincing the alphas this was a good idea. 'A mutually beneficial friendship. My people would thrive off regular trade routes for bacta, metals, food supplies, what have you. We have one trade centre on our planet, and most do not know of it. All these things I have listed are things that do not come as often as we need them too.' The young wolf offered him a smirk. 'Skógur Heim is not like this.' Her hand gestured to the grand, modern technology dotted around the Capitol building. 'Our technology extends to basic communication. I am the only one to have a ship that can fly through space. I suppose above all else we seek to better ourselves. We do not want to be left behind while everyone else goes on.'

Her nose scrunched again, forming a rather bemused expression as she carried on. 'Though perhaps not to the scale of metal men and sky touching buildings.'

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Alkor listened while she spoke of her world, and of the various things her people might benefit from. It was interesting to think they might not enjoy an industrial age and the economic prosperity that came with it; but then, to artificially bring that level of knowledge and technology to a world came with it's own complications. The Confederacy was better off letting then come to their own decisions about advancement, even if they had the means to speed them along several thousand years.

He had seen this type of city before, on Corellia, on Taris, on Coruscant, on Muunilnst- Alkor had become jaded on illustrious cities to the point where Golbah seemed almost bland when he first saw it. The gem of a world covered in dust and blasted by heat. Still, he had to consider what it might look like to eyes that did not have his experience.

A society like the one she spoke of sounded almost appealing. Simple, self-sufficient, and secluded. They wanted only for supplies, things to help them maintain their status quo. It was a respectable notion. The Confederacy wanted the world. Something to hold dominion over, more perceived power. The people of her world would likely never even realize they were present.

"I am sure the Vicelord will find your people's desires most agreeable," he spoke with some confidence. They wanted very little from the Confederacy. At least compared to some joiners. "You will have the chance to discuss that with him soon enough, I am sure. For now," he gestured toward the nearest turbolift and stepped on, bidding her to do the same. "I will show you where the Viceroyalty conduct business. It's currently out of session, of course."

As they boarded, the lift closed and transparisteel secured them inside. It began to soar upward. "It is impressive, but at most, Golbah City is a grand example of Confederate wealth. It hardly speaks to our strides in cybernetics, Droid production, medical sciences, shipbuilding..."

His voice fell off as they reached the designated floor, all the while a grand view of the city growing ever more expansive unfurled in front of them like a map.

[member="Alvida Osulf"]